You Are Never Alone

We are all part of the vast universe, and many of its elements, large and small, are within us. It “showers [us] with gifts.”

The team that is responsible for previous works of philosophical science (You Are Stardust, 2012; Wild Ideas, 2015) takes on yet another huge concept. Beginning with water from rain that provides fresh drinking water and oxygen supplied by plants, then winding through the complex ecosystem that sustains and protects life on our planet, Kelsey provides examples and explanations of how we are all connected: to microorganisms, insects, algae, soil, and every living plant and creature, all of which affect everything in our bodies and everything we do. Children might find some of the scientific material hard to grasp, but it is all elegantly presented in soaring, vivid language that is not a bit condescending. The second-person address posits a singular reader, directly addressed in a conversational tone, and yet emphasizes that every individual has the same connections. Each bit of information is paired with appropriate scenes from Kim’s exquisite, intricate dioramas. Double-page spreads depict children of varying races flying, floating, even cavorting with animals and plants of land and sea in fantastical, colorful settings that also contain carefully constructed realistic elements. Endpapers present smaller, framed versions of the dioramas and invite readers to examine them closely.

PreS-Gr 2-Fans of the author/illustrator duo's previous books, You Are Stardust and Wild Ideas, will be thrilled by this new publication that focuses on the connections that exist within the natural world. From cherubic paper-cutout children to origami boats made of book pages, the dioramas are extraordinarily rich in depth and texture. One could spend hours poring over them and discovering new details. The varied plant and animal life connect different page spreads, creating a clever puzzle. Readers can peruse the book to find matching elements. For example, one page features the large head of a deer and the edge of a building. A later spread features the same deer and building, but this time they are tiny in the corner as the illustration is from a more distant perspective of the landscape. The text offers scientific tidbits such as "Your face is home to wee little cleaning mites who evolved from mites that lived on the faces of your relatives." The language has a tone heavy in emotional idealism, framed to offer reassurance that everyone is linked to all of the creatures in the wide world. An endnote from the author explains her inspiration and includes some additional explanation related to the scientific information within the text. VERDICT The fabulous artwork sparks wonder while the quirky text inspires mindfulness and environmental awareness.-Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State University, OH